Ryder Norman, 1, is enthusiastic about being a Halloween cowboy. Find a pattern to make this vest online. / Nathan Papes/ News-Leader

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Costumes don't have to be scary to be fun. Kate Norman, 7, models a geisha costume. Find a pattern to make a geisha girl robe online. / Nathan Papes/News-Leader

Need help choosing a costume?• Search “homemade costumes” on Pinterest or visit coolest-homemade-costumes.com. • Consider what skills, materials and time you have. If you don’t own a sewing machine, can the costume be constructed with a few stitches done by hand? Do you already have a brown hoodie sweat shirt that would be perfect for a bear costume? • Listen to your kids. Let them be involved in choosing and creating the costume. “The (costumes) my kids have liked the best are the ones where I really let them get involved and pick out the fabric,” Leslie Norman said. “I think it’s good for kids to be creative and use their imaginations.” Collecting, purchasing or borrowing materials• If your little buck-a-roo needs a sheriff’s badge or toy pistol and you don’t have one, ask your Facebook friends. Chances are someone else has one and would be tickled to let your cowboy borrow it. Also check thrift stores. • Go cheap. Scour your closets and drawers for raw materials first. Then shop fabric sales, or thrift and dollar stores. • It will probably be chilly Halloween so unless you want your child to cover up that fabulous costume with a coat, make sure the costume is warm with sleeves and pants. Start with sweatshirts (or hoodies), sweat pants or leotards and build from there. • You don’t have to be a skilled seamstress to make a costume. You don’t have to own a sewing machine for that matter. If your costume is strictly for Halloween, don’t worry about quality construction. Whipstitches, glue, staples or iron-on bonding material will attach most things on for long enough. • If you plan to sew an entire costume but want to make your own pattern, search the Internet for ideas. Make templates or patterns from newspaper, brown bags or parchment paper. • Use fleece, flannel or felt fabric to avoid hemming. If you’re a novice, avoid stretchy or silky material.

Seven-year-old Kate Norman laughs while showing off her Halloween costume in the News-Leader studio on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2012. Find a pattern to make a Geisha girl robe online. / Nathan Papes/News-Leader

One-year-old Ryder Norman shows off his cowboy Halloween costume Find a pattern to make this vest online. / Nathan Papes/News-Leader

Kate, Ryder and Kennedy Norman show off their Halloween costumes, made by Mom. / Nathan Papes/News-Leader

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Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. Hayrides, candy and a night dedicated to frights and mischief — what’s not to love? Whether you’re giving the Halloween party this year or just attending, or if you’re looking for a safe trick-or-treating venue for the kids, I’ve got you covered. In this Halloween roundup, you’ll find easy (and gory) hors d’oeuvres that will leave your ghoulish guests screaming for more. There’s a fun craft idea for your little ghosts and goblins, plus a list of kid-friendly Halloween events in the Ozarks. And if you haven’t crossed “get a costume” off your to-do list yet, I might be able to help there as well.

Growing up, my mother would never let me buy a head-to-toe costume. I could pick out a mask, but I’d have to finish the outfit with whatever I could find around the house. I wasn’t a crafty child, so most of my costumes consisted of a store-bought mask and a sheet. If it was good enough for the Peanuts gang, it was good enough for me.

I still prefer to create my costumes rather than buy off the rack, but sadly, my skills haven’t improved much since my ghost gorilla days.

That’s why I turned to chemical engineer-turned-domestic engineer Leslie Norman when I sought advice about homemade costumes. This mother of three and owner of Kids Street Clothing Company can turn a headband and piece of felt into bunny ears in just a few minutes and has made at least 20 costumes over the years, including mermaids, princesses, a mad scientist, the bride of Frankenstein and more. (Click here to find Norman’s instructions for ears, wig, capes, wands and a robe or vest.)

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“I am one of five children, and I don’t remember ever having a new costume. We always had hand-me-downs,” Norman said, sitting at her kitchen table stacked with costume-making supplies. “My best friend always had these new costumes. I remember she had this Rainbow Bright costume. It was beautiful. … “I guess that’s why I do this. I want my kids to have what I didn’t.”

Although she’s handy with a sewing machine, many of her creations are held together with a safety pin, Velcro or glue. And rather than zippers, she prefers to use grommets and lacing. That way, the costumes are essentially one-size-fit-all — perfect for her growing kids and their friends.

“I don’t know any kid who comes to my house that doesn’t know where the dress-up room is. Even the neighborhood boys like to put the tails on and pretend,” she said.

For Norman, it all started with a “dunce” costume she created back in fifth grade. She wore her regular clothes and made a pointy hat out of newspaper comics. Though it was simple, she loved it.

The most elaborate, labor-intensive costume was “Glinda the Good Witch” she made for her daughter, Kennedy, a couple years ago. Norman recalls the details: the wand with fabric star and sequins attached, a crown with fabric stars and sequins appliqued, the dress with three different fabrics to get a “poofy” effect, darts, appliqued fabric with more stars and sequins. The Wizard himself would have been impressed.

“The most important things about Halloween is that the kids have fun. We basically trick-or-treat in our neighborhood and we are done. But the kids have wonderful memories from it,” Norman said.

Need help choosing a costume?

• Consider what skills, materials and how much time you have. If you don’t own a sewing machine, can the costume be constructed with a few stitches that can be done by hand? Do you already have a brown hoodie sweatshirt that would be perfect for a bear costume?

(Page 3 of 3)

• Listen to your kids. Let them be involved in choosing and creating the costume.

“The (costumes) my kids have liked the best are the ones where I really let them get involved and pick out the fabric,” Norman said. “I think it’s good for kids to be creative and use their imaginations.”

Collecting, purchasing or borrowing materials:

• If you’re little buckaroo needs a sheriff’s badge or toy pistol and you don’t have one, ask your Facebook friends. Chances are someone else does. has one and would be tickled to let you’re cowboy borrow it. Also check thrift stores.

• It will probably be chilly on Halloween, so unless you want your child to cover up that fabulous costume with a coat, make sure the costume is warm with sleeves and pants. Start with sweat shirts (or hoodies), sweat pants or leotards and build from there.

• You don’t have to be a skilled seamstress to make a costume. You don’t have to own a sewing machine for that matter. If your costume is strictly for Halloween, don’t worry about quality construction. Whipstitches, glue, staples or iron-on bonding material will attach most things on for long enough.

• If you plan to sew an entire costume but want to make your own pattern, search the Internet for ideas. Make templates or patterns from newspaper, brown bags or parchment paper.

• Use fleece, flannel or felt fabric to avoid hemming. If you’re a novice, avoid stretchy or silky material.